Risky Runaway
by Ilovecarolburnett
Summary: Taken from the movie "Annie" 1982, but its my own version. A girl named "Danielle" has to go through the day-to-day life with Miss. Hannigan and the rest of the Orphans. Read how they manage to deal with Miss. Hannigan yet do things that are risky. :)
1. Chapter 1 and 2

My name is Danielle I have only been an orphan at the "Hudson Street Home for Girls" for about 4 months. I am 15 years old. I used to be an ordinary kid with a mom, dad, and an older sister. One day I was over at my friend Lisa's house. We where playing hopscotch outside; her mom interrupted our fun by telling me that there was a fire and my parents and sister where trapped inside the house and were unable to make it out alive. I sat and cried for hours with Lisa, and then the social workers came and got me and took me here. So here I am with 30 other orphans and a drunk who hates kids taking care of us.

For the four months I have been here I have been trying to think of a successful attempt to run away. I have tried two times and have gotten caught each time. Finally, I got the best idea. It took a while to think up because I knew if I screwed up and got caught that it would be a lot more than 3 swats from the paddle. That's why I spent a lot of time looking around for something good, something better than anyone could have ever discover. Then finally I knew the most obvious and biggest thing in our room "the door" would be the answer. I mean know one would ever think it's possible since it's locked up and plus know one would ever think anyone would be brave enough to go through with it. That's why I knew it was perfect. The only things stopping me from this brilliant plan would be Miss. Hannigan and the windows that show the fire exit I would have to walk down to escape.

Two weeks ago when me and the rest of the 30 orphans were outside doing our monthly walk, where we walk in a circle for about an hour, I paid close attention to my surroundings. I had then noticed the fire exit and then remembered the door in our room that is locked. I then noticed the only thing keeping us in the alley we walk around in is a gate, which all you have to do is climb over.

It is now 3 a.m., I have spent a whole hour thinking and asking myself if this is really a good idea and if I really wanted to risk the chances of getting caught. I begin to walk towards the door when I heard a tired little voice try to whisper loud enough to where I could hear "Danielle, Danielle, where are you going?" I turn to see, Molly, the youngest of all the orphans sat up on her knees with her brown hair sticking to her face and tears streaming from her dark puppy dog brown eyes. I walk with guilt over to Molly and sit down beside the little six years old. "Molly, I'm going to run away." "What why, you can't leave Danielle," the tired little girl cries. I wrapped the little girl in my arms. Finally Molly fell asleep. I tucked her into bed before I began walking towards the door. I walk to the stairs while starring back at the girls and the room; knowing this may be my last time in the room. I then begin walking up the four steps leading to the door. I reached in my pocket and pulled out the paper clip I found outside Miss. Hannigan's office door two weeks ago. I wiggled the paper clip in the hole to here the key is supposed to go. *Click I whispered under my breath in an excited tone, "yes!" I then took the chain and lock off the door. Then I undid the locks on top and bottom of door. I fixed the chain on one of the handles so that when I closed the door behind me it would look as if it was still locked. I wrap my shaking hands and wrap them around the doorknob and pulled to open the door. To my surprise the only noise that came from the door was a small creaking noise. I closed the door quietly behind me and slowly stepped down the fire exit in case they squeaked. Once to the bottom I ran over to the fence and pulled my self over after a few times. I look around the streets of New York which are usually very crowded but at this time there are only a few cars and very few people. "I'm free! I can't believe it." I heard a noise come from the orphanage building so I took off down the street where I found a nice little alley where I would sleep tonight.

Chapter 2

I woke up with the morning air hitting my face like ice cold water. I'm guessing it is now around 10ish which means six hours! I have been gone for SIX HOURS! Miss. Hannigan wakes up around six every morning making us do role call and begin our morning work that lingers throughout the day. This means Miss. Hannigan most likely has known I've been gone for about four hours now! I'm sure she has all the police stations around looking for me. I can see her now running around yelling at the orphans questioning if they know where I am; totally drunk with two bottles of hard liquor in her hands. Miss. Hannigan's biggest fear isn't if I get hurt or killed its If the Board of Orphans find out and she possibly loosing her job.

I walk out of the alley inspecting the road making sure no cops are in sight. I walked the streets imagining if I were a normal walk just getting fresh air. I guess I wasn't that careful, I turned a corner and ran into a six foot, bald, buff cop, that's when I remembered it was a Monday and kids were in school still. The cop, unsure of who I was, took me by my ear and took me down to the police station where they called Miss. Hannigan to come and claim her missing 'baby'. As I sat on the bench for the 30 minutes I then looked up and saw Miss. Hannigan, drunk, wobbling towards me with her arms wide open, "Danielle, Danielle, awe my little peach fuzz." She said as she pushed me into her chest and hugged me. "I was worried sick, you poor baby, you didn't catch a cold did you?" "Thank you soo much officer!" she said in a flirty slutty way. "You're welcome mame, I found her wondering the streets about 15 minutes from here." The officer said in a reassuring way. In the taxi we sat there silent as she thought of ways to punish me and control her furry in front of the texi driver and as I imagined all the worse.

As we pulled up to the orphanage Miss. Hannigan wrapped her boney arm around me in a loving heart-touching, motherly way, until we closed the door behind us in the orphanage. Miss. Hannigan then pushed me to the ground and screamed at me for an hour. "WHERE IN THE HELL WERE YOU?!" She yelled as I laid there crying. "Im sorry Miss. Hannigan I just wanted fresh air." I said in a quiet tone. "WHY THE HELL DO YOU THINK I LET YOU ALL HAVE THE WALK OUTSIDE!" After an hour of back and forth talking/ yelling, she finally made me go to bed for the night, with NO food.

The next morning Miss. Hannigan called me into her office where she made me bend over with my dress up and underwear pulled down to get my FIVE paddles! It was awful but I made sure I did not shed one tear. After the paddling Miss. Hannigan made me clean her intire office with a tooth brush with about 30 bristles still on it. By the time I finished that it was dinner time where Miss. Hannigan made me sit by her and eat. I was not allowed to look at anyone or talk to anyone. So I sat with my head down and ate as I imagined me as if I were a queen in a castle far away in India where Miss. Hannigan was a peasant and had to do everything for me.


	2. Chapter 2

After we ate we were sent to our room. As we managed to all get upstairs Pepper, one of the orphans, a real bitch if I must say, pushed me to the ground. "What in the hell were you thinking, did you think you would actually get away how could anyone be so damn stupid? Didn't you hear the story about a former orphan who lived here?" "No", I said in a pissed off tone. "Her name was Annie, Miss. Hannigan hated her, she got adopted by some billionaire about a year ago. Anytime Annie would try to runaway Miss. Hannigan took it out on us and would take it out worse on Annie when the cops brought her back. Miss. Hannigan will stay pissed at you for about a month after you run away. For two weeks straight you will be constantly cleaning and she will find excuses for you to go to the paddle closet." As Pepper continued to scream at me, none of us heard the creaks of the floor until a hand grabbed my neck from the back, sending me to my knees from the pain. Miss. Hannigan then released my neck as she pushed me towards my cot. She put the whistle to her lips and blew it. "Roll call, everyone get in line." We all jumped from our spots and ran forming a perfect line in front of our cots. 'I love you Miss. Hannigan." was repeated as Miss. Hannigan walked down the line pointing to each of us. When she got to me I looked at here and smiled with the biggest smile I have ever made as I said through my teeth holding the smile, "I love you Miss. Hannigan." She gave me a look as if she wanted to kill me. She then looked at me with a fake smile and bent down grabbing her knees and said, "Time for your next paddling!" I looked at her and smiled and said "ok!" I didn't want her to know I was pissed off and scared. I lead the way down the stairs to her office where I pulled up my dress and down my underwear revealing the purple bruises she laid on me yesterday. As she gave me five swats from the paddle, she then turned to me and said. "The school you went to before your parents died and left you in my care called and told me you and the other orphans have to go to school." I smiled as I pulled my dress down and said to her in a happy thrilled tone and said "ok."

As I reached the top of the stares young 7 year old Molly ran towards me asking if I was ok. I looked at Molly with a smile on my face and told her we get to go to school! All the orphans ran up to me as they heard the news. Duffy grabbed my arm and told me how she went to school before she came her and she hated it. "Think about it", I said to all of them in a hush tone, "if we go to school that's just eight hours of not having to be around Miss. Hannigan." They all changed their faces from a gloomy look to huge smiles that lit up the dark gloomy room.

The next morning Ms. Brown came to the orphanage, my old principal. Miss. Hannigan had gotten us up two hours before she came to get baths and put on some new clothes that people had donated to the orphanage last year, that Miss. Hannigan hid from us. Miss. Hannigan told us to be very nice and to act like the happiest kids in the world and if we didn't it would be kill, kill, kill. Ms. Brown sat at Miss. Hannigans desk next to Miss. Hannigan as we were in a line telling her our names and age as she recoreded in her leather notebook. As I got up there, Ms. Brown smiled at me and asked if she new me. I then began to tell her how I was a student at her school before my parents died. She got out of her seat and came over to me and gave me a hug as she apologized and told me that she figured out who I was after I told her. Miss. Hannigan the whole time looked at me with a snarl on her face. Miss. Hannigan looked at me and said, "sweetie will you bring me Molly to me so I can get her ready for bed?" I looked at her with my face in a curious look. "Yes, Miss. Hannigan." " Sweetie I told you when you first got here you don't have to call me by my last name you can call me Mama." She said with a fake smile. I looked back as I began to walk away and said, "yes Miss. Hannigan, I know.

I went up stairs and brought Molly to Miss. Hannigan. When I brought her to Miss. Hannigan, Miss. Hannigan's eyes lit up and she threw her arms up. "My little baby!" Molly slowly walked torwards Miss. Hannigan as her hand pulled me with her. Ms. Brown was very convinced by the act put on acting like she was a loving mother. As the sun went down Ms. Brown finally finished writing all the girls name's down. She smiled to Miss. Hannigan and thanked her for letting her spend so much time at the orphanage. As Miss. Hannigan closed the door behind Ms. Brown, she blew her whistle and had us all go upstairs and go admittedly to bed without any dinner. As we all began to walk to our gloomy room's Miss. Hannigan yelled out, "NOT YOU, Danielle." I turned around slowly and walked to Miss. Hannigan as she grabbed my shirt and pulled me to the office and gave me my five paddles for the day. As I walked up stairs slowly because of the pain I looked at the top of the stairs where Molly stood with her arm stretched out waiting for me to grab it. When we got to our room I laid Molly down and tucked her in. I then slowly walked to my cot and sat down as I felt the pain shoot up my back. I laid down and prayed that tomorrow would be a good day.


	3. Chapter 3

Today is the first day of school. We all walked outside the door with the clothes we had on when Ms. Brown came to the orphanage. Miss. Hannigan followed behind us to get a good look at the bus driver to see if it was a man. (Miss. Hannigan aka the slut that we have as a caretaker is always looking for a man; doesn't matter who just as long as they have money.)

Molly pulled my shirt as she began to cry, I picked her up and whispered in her ear, "Molly did you forget you're seven now?" She pulled her head and through all her tears she responded "No, what's that have to do with anything though?" I smiled as I put her down, I got down on my knees and held her hands still smiling, "Molly your old enough to go to Kindergarten now!" She ran into my arms and gave me a huge hug.

As we started to load the bus Miss. Hannigan stayed back as she noticed the bus driver was a girl. As I held Molly's hand and began to walk towards the steps, Miss. Hannigan yelled Molly's name. I turned with Molly and lead her to Miss. Hannigan. She snarled at me as she turned to Molly and said "Molly where do you think your going? Your only six, your staying here with me!" I turned to Miss. Hannigan with a mad voice "No Miss. Hannigan, she was six she turned seven, making her a Kindergartener, two weeks ago!" Miss. Hannigan ready to slap my face pulled me inside and called Miss. Brown. I was expecting her to call about Molly, but instead she called about me. "Hi Ms. Brown, this is Miss. Hannigan from the orphanage, I just wanted to call to let you know poor little Danielle has been puking all day. My poor baby can't even lift her head from the pillow." I looked at Molly with a tear in my eye. "Molly, it's ok, ill be here with you." Miss. Hannigan turned to me and threw her hand over my mouth with the phone still to her ear. "I could her Ms. Brown from the telephone, "Oh that poor child, tell her to get better. This will be an excused absence so all is good, Miss. Hannigan." Miss. Hannigan thanked her for understanding, after she got off the phone she turned to me and Molly. She was leaning on the desk with her hands supporting her. "You both are going to clean the whole orphanage, by the time all of the others get back this place better shine like the top of the Chrysler building. You and Molly will not be able to talk, if I catch you both talking to eachother, which I will catch you, it will be KILL, KILL, KILL. Do you understand?!" She screamed at us. "Yes, Miss. Hannigan, we both said looking at the floor. "Now what do you say!" "We love you Miss. Hannigan." "Good now start cleaning!"


	4. Chapter 4

Finally the day was over; we were all lying down in our cots ready to sleep. As I began to fall asleep, I woke up to the noise of all the other girls talking. "I can't believe Danielle and Molly couldn't go to school today." whispered Duffy. "Yeah, I wonder what they did." Kate replied. "I can tell you what happened, Danielle said something to get in trouble and didn't want to stay here alone to clean all day with Miss. Hannigan screaming at her, so she got Molly in trouble to so she wouldn't be alone. "Pepper said, in a smart alike tone. As soon as I heard that I jumped from my cot and ran over to Pepper. "THAT IS NOT TRUE! "Oh really", Pepper smirked. "Yes, really!" "Then what happened!?" Pepper asked as she got up and got in my face. "I was trying to let Miss. Hannigan let Molly go to school because the dumb shit didn't know Molly was seven instead of six! She thought I was being a smart alike so she ran in side and called Ms. Brown and told her I was sick and couldn't make it. After our argument Molly ran over and pulled my arm to her cot, "Danielle, can you pleassse tell me a story?" For the rest of the night I told Molly a story. The next day I woke up to find that we both fell asleep together; I was just happy Miss. Hannigan didn't catch us. As we all got dressed and ready for school we all lined up down stairs for Miss. Hannigan to unlock the doors. When Miss. Hannigan walked out of her room, she began to sway left and right and started to stumble over her feet, we all knew what that meant, and she was hammered.

When we arrived at school I dropped Molly off at the Elementary school. I then walked down a long hill to the high school. When I walked in the building I began to cry as I saw so many familiar faces. After about 5th our I went to the counselors office, it was so great but very overwhelming to see everyone. We talked for about an hour and a half.

Somewhere through the middle, Miss. Hannigan was brought up; I never knew how much she scared and bothered me until I started bawling to the counselor about how horrible it is. I didn't tell her that she was a drunk nor an abusive care taker. I was scared that if we got taken away from Miss. Hannigan we would all be separated and Molly would be all alone. When we got back to the orphanage that day Miss. Hannigan had us all go straight inside to the dining room. When we all got in there she blew her whistle. We all sat there looking at each other wondering what must have happened. She then started walking back and forth until finally she stopped right in front of me. "One of you went to the counselor today." She began to scan the room. "She called me and told me that one of you came in and complained about me and how rough I was with you all." She walked away and stood in front of Pepper. "We will all sit in here without talking until someone confesses. As Miss. Hannigan turned her back to me and started walking towards the other orphans I whispered in a quiet tone "it was me." She turned around and gave a look at our table scanning it up and down, she then yelled. "WELL WHO WAS IT?" I raised my hand in the air slowly as I stared down at the ground. The next thing I knew I was raised by her bony hand grabbing the front of my dress pulling me from my seat. "Well Danielle, I hope you're glad to know because of your little move you did, you and the others are officially home schooled by me."

The next day Miss. Hannigan woke us up and led us down stairs to the kitchen where she gave us all workbooks. She told us we had to have them all filled out by lunch time. For me it was very easy, but for the rest of them it was impossibly, hard. None of the girls have ever been to school. So by the time it was lunch time we had to turn in our workbooks where Miss. Hannigan checked to see if we did them. "Molly, why haven't you filled anything out!?" Duffy stepped forward and proceeded to explain to Miss. Hannigan. "She does not know how to read since she has only gone to school one day in her whole life." Miss. Hannigan then looked at us all and told us to go outside now for our monthly walk. When we got outside Molly began to cry, "I'm sorry Duffy, I don't even know how to read." Duffy grabbed Molly and began to tell how it was ok. July came over and looked at Duffy to remind here there was trash in the trash can. I looked kind of puzzled at first, but walked over there with them all anyways. Kate started going through papers and dug finally to the bottom of the beat up tin can, that they call a trash can. She pulled a dead rat out of trash where she managed to hand it to Duffy. I looked in discuss as I asked what they planed on doing with it. "Well were not going to eat it!" Tessie said in a joking way. Out of nowhere all our heads jerked to the top of the stairs as Miss. Hannigan blew her damn whistle. Oh how I hated that whistle. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" she screamed as she stumbled down the steps. When she got to the bottom of the stairs she walked over to use and began to stare us all down one by one. Finally she noticed something strange. "Duffy, come her, come on." She said as her pulled her bony finger to herself leading Duffy to come to Miss. Hannigan. "Your hiding something from Miss. Hannigan behind your back aren't you Duffy?" She said as she put on a fake smile with her chin held high. "No." Duffy said as she stood there frozen. "Let me have it." Miss. Hannigan said as she raised her eyebrows and widened her eyes. Next thing you knew Duffy threw the rat into Miss. Hannigan's, god awful silk rob. When we got in, Miss. Hannigan sent us straight to bed; without any dinner. We were all starving so Pepper got this idea to go to the kitchen and try to take some bread. She was gone for about ten minutes. We all laid down and pretended to be asleep as Miss. Hannigan walked up stairs with Pepper's ear in Miss. Hannigan's left ear and the paddle in her right hand. "Get up." She yelled at us all. When we all woke up she looked at us all and said "I want to show you what happens for now on when you are bad." After she said that, she had Pepper bend over the rail of her coat, as Miss. Hannigan, drunk and angry, hammered her rear end with about ten swats she finally put the paddle down as Pepper began to sniffle." She then had Pepper stand up while Miss. Hannigan yelled to us all, "NOW WHAT DO YOU ALL SAY?" We all trembling, looked at Miss. Hannigan and said that we loved her, which of course we all hated her guts.

After all that I wondered how badly tomorrow was going to be like.

The next day of "home schooling", was way worst then the first. She had us all write in a notebook she gave all of us "I love you Miss. Hannigan." one-thousand times. By the end of writing, all the girls including me and even Pepper were complaining how bad our hands hurt. Tessie sat down on the floor and started to cry. Pepper just looked at her and called her a cry baby and to shut up. I told Pepper to leave her be.

When Miss. Hannigan walked in the room in one hand she had a glass of hard liquor and in the other hand she had a cigarette. We could all tell she was hammered by the way she walked towards us. She walked up to Tessie and pulled her from the floor with the hand with the cigarette. My fear was that she would get burnt. Thankfully she didn't. Next thing I knew she had us in line as we handed our notebooks to her. She looked at us and told us to get the tables ready for our mush. After she gave us our mush, she told us to go to our rooms and not disturb her. When we got upstairs we got excited because we knew when she got drunk she would pass out and we could pretty much do whatever until she woke up. After we went downstairs and saw her passed out on the floor the other girls listened to the radio as I planned my next escape.

I went to the door and unlocked it. I took one step out the door and *bam* I was free. I ran to the only place I knew I would be accepted so I ran to the school. Half way there I heard a police car behind me so I ran behind the closest tree I could find, I was lucky that they didn't see me. I finally made it to the school. When I got there Ms. Brown asked how I got here. I told her I walked. She told me to wait in her office while she went to make a phone call. When she walked in the room there was a woman walking behind her. Of course it had to be Miss. Hannigan, here to claim her baby who escaped again. When Miss. Hannigan saw me sitting there she ran over to me and grabbed my face and said, "Oh my baby, you scared me to death." I thought to myself get you damn hands off of my face you little shit!" I was so mad I accidently said out loud, "to the paddle closet I go." When Miss. Hannigan heard me she grabbed the back of my neck making it look like she was just holding me but actually she was squeezing pretty hard. When we got back to the orphanage she took me up to the bedroom with the other girls and then walked back down stairs. None of use knew what was in store to come, but we found out real quickly when she brought a giant thick, leather belt over to me. You're never going to runaway again after I'm done with you.

That night I laid in bed with the worst whelps any of the orphans have ever seen. I knew then and there I had to get away from this psycho path, and fast.


	5. Chapter 5

The last time I tried to run away was about a week ago; I can still feel the whelps Miss. Hannigan laid on me with the leather belt. I and the other orphans have been working our selves to death to try to avoid Miss. Hannigan. I think everyone is scared of what she did to me. It still does not stop me from wanting to get away; which one day I will!

Today is a Friday, Miss. Hannigan usually goes to the liquor store, and well at least she has ever since the prohibition has ended. She usually grabs a few bottles of the stuff she makes her bathtub gin with and some cigarettes. Even though she can buy some liquor already made she has required a taste of the nasty smelling bathtub gin. When she leaves I hopefully can somehow escape this place.

When it was the time for Miss. Hannigan to leave for her ingredients there was a ring at the door. I hid behind a wall as Miss. Hannigan answered the door. She led a very tall thin woman in a black dress to her office. I was not sure who she was so I ran to get the others. "PEPPER, MOLLY, DUFFY, KATE, JULY, TESSIE. EVERYONE COME QUICK." They all rushed towards me with terrified looks on there faces. I looked at them and began to speak as I caught my breath. "I think there's a lady down stairs who's going to adopt someone." The girls got very excited. I led them down stairs as we crawled under Miss. Hannigan's office window. "We could all here low voices until BAM the door swung open. We all jumped to our feet as Miss. Hannigan blew her whistle. Instead of yelling Miss. Hannigan introduced us to the lady beside her, Miss. Ernst. Miss. Hannigan told us that she was going to be living at the orphanage helping Miss. Hannigan out for about a month or two. She also told us that they were very good friends and Miss. Ernst was told to tell anything she heard or saw us do that we were not allowed to do or say. Me and the other girls shook her hand and managed to get upstairs. "Great!" Pepper blurted as we got into our room. "Now we are under constant surveillance by two evil bitches. I looked at Pepper as I shut Molly's ears. "Pepper, you should not cuss in front of Molly like that! Anyways we don't know how this Miss. Ernst is." I said trying to calm everyone down. Pepper immediately responded, "Well maybe you don't know her, but me and the others do." Pepper then began to explain that Miss. Hannigan only has her come to stay at the orphanage when the girls are out of hand. Not only that but, Pepper explained that Miss. Ernst was like a Miss. Hannigan clone. Just as mean, yet not as drunk. I knew why Miss. Hannigan had called her; because of all the times I had run away.

That night Miss. Ernst had slept in our room, watching our every move. We couldn't talk we had to lay there for hours until we finally fell asleep. Miss. Ernst woke us all up earlier than usual. She than took us down stairs where we met Miss. Hannigan in the dining room. "Today, my little darlings we are going to clean this place from top to bottom. As you clean I and Miss. Ernst will pay close attention to make sure you all do nothing but clean. This is how you all will be rewarded your mush. How hard you work depends if you will earn hot mush or cold mush." Miss. Hannigan than told us to go upstairs to get our cleaning supplies as we were all spread out throughout the orphanage. I luckily was cleaning alone by myself. The only thing is was where I was cleaning, right next to Miss. Hannigan's back bedroom door. While Miss. Hannigan and Miss. Ernst were upstairs I decided to pay a little visit into Miss. Hannigan's room. I've never been in her room but, while being her in office while being punished I did get a little glimpse. When I opened her door the smell of old cheap perfume just about knocked me to the floor. I found myself walking straight into her bathroom where I just so happened to find her god awful smelling bathtub gin. The rusted tub was filled to the rim of the tub full of the gin. Around the tub were pots and bottles and even a wooden paddle, which I think she used to stir the alcohol. I looked through the windows to make sure no one was around. When I saw the coast was clear I pulled the plug from the tub as I watched the gin go down, down, down, until there was not a drip left. After I did that I ran straight out of Miss. Hannigan's room straight to the front door. I walked slowly to listen if anyone was coming. When I heard no one I decided to just open the door and bolt out, so I did. As I was running down the street I could feel tears running out of my eyes, tears of mostly happiness yet I was very sad to think I may never see Molly again.

When I got about ten minutes away I began to here sirens. I ran straight to a ditch where I laid down in until the sirens passed. After that I got up and began to run towards my old neighborhood. When I got there I was worn out. I knocked on my old neighbor's house where they let me in. I guess a police officer must have seen me walk into Mr. Howard's house because the next thing I new there she was. Nope not Miss. Hannigan, Miss. Ernst. Miss. Ernst definitely pulled a Miss. Hannigan on me and Mr. Howard. When she came in she sat down on the couch I was sitting on, she then moved so close to me I could smell her breath. She began talking to Mr. Howard as she rubbed my back, like a mother would. I didn't know what to think of her, I couldn't tell if that was an act she put on or what but for those 5 minutes I felt like I finally had a mom again and someone loved me. When she took me back to the orphanage Miss. Ernst took me by my neck all the way into Miss. Hannigan's room. Miss. Hannigan said "this time you're not going to get paddled, you're just going to get to sleep in my office floor every night with me and Miss. Ernst watching you, then when you wake up you will have to be anywhere one of us is. We will take turns watching you and disciplining you. And for the joke you pulled by wasting my precociously made gin you get to get three paddles." Miss. Ernst then pulled me over her knee and began to slap her hand against my dress. With each hit a new tear formed in the crevice of my eye. I got about ten spankings even though Miss. Hannigan only said three.

That night I was forced to pull my feather mattress from my cot down to Miss. Hannigan's office. Miss. Hannigan had locked me in the office with Miss. Ernst. I had slept in the office for two weeks after that. Finally I was able to sleep with the others again and clean without someone breathing down my neck every two seconds. When I pulled my mattress up the stairs Molly ran and jumped straight into my arms. The little girl began to sob, leaving my shoulder wet from her tears. "Danielle, I didn't think you'd make it out alive!" Molly said with tears in her eyes. "Molly it wasn't that bad, I promise." After I sat the little girl on her cot and tucked her in I picked my mattress off the floor and laid it on the cot. Finally after about 20 minutes I fell asleep.

The next morning we all were woke up by Miss. Hannigan's whistle. Like always!

The day started out like any ordinary day. After cleaning all day I and the other girls finally got a chance to go to our bedroom and play cards for about an hour. After about 30 min of playing we all stood to our feet when we heard a ring from the front door.

When we all walked downstairs Miss. Hannigan was leading a lady by the arm to the office. Miss Hannigan walked to Molly and picked her up. "This here is Molly. She is the baby of the orphanage." Miss. Hannigan said to the lady. When Miss. Hannigan placed Molly to her feet she came running into my arms. "Actually, Miss. Hannigan." The lady began to say. "I'm not here to adopt a child, my name is Alice, I work for the New York Board of Orphans. I'm here to do an evaluation and ask the children how they like it here." Miss. Hannigan looked with a face full of disgust. "Oh well then, how about I let you do your thing while you may speak to each of the little dears' one at a time in my office. The rest of us will be upstairs in the girl's bedroom playing cards. OK, OK, good." "Uhhh yes Miss. Hannigan I assume that will be fine. Now who shall I talk to first?" The lady looked at all of us and finally pointed to Jennifer, one of the younger orphans. "Will you come with me please?" Jennifer rushed over to the lady and grabbed her hand as she was led to the office. Miss. Hannigan guided us up stairs. When we reached the top Miss. Ernst was sitting on one of the cots waiting for us. Miss. Hannigan tolled us all in a stern tone to sit on the ground and pay close attention. She stared all of us down, especially me as she began to talk. "When you all speak to this Alice lady I expect for you not to tell her anything I would not approve of. Do you all understand?" She asked as she looked at us all with the scariest expression I have ever seen. "Yes Miss. Hannigan we all echoed."

One by one each girl went down stairs to talk to Alice. When it was my turn I became very nervous of what I was going to say. When I began to walk towards the top of the stairs Miss. Hannigan grabbed me buy the arm and said to me, "I mean it Danielle, you better be careful of what you say."

When I reached the bottom of the stairs I took a sharp left, leading myself to Miss. Hannigan's office. When I reached the door Alice was already there waiting for me. She guided me with her hand and pointed to the chair I was all too familiar with from all the times I leaned over it to get my paddling or whipping.

"Hello sweetie, what's your name." Alice asked in the kindest voice I have ever heard. "Hi my name is Danielle."

"Well Danielle is it alright if I ask you a few questions?" she asked with a curious look.

She asked me questions like, what's my age, and how long I've been here, and why I'm here. While I answered her questions I could not help but shake my legs due to the anxiety that Miss. Hannigan had placed on my shoulders. "Sweetie are you alright?" Alice asked as she noticed my legs. "Yes, I'm fine I just have some bad anxiety." I said in a reassuring voice. "Ok sweetie, would you be ok if we continued?" She asked with a worried look in her eyes. "Yes that's fine." While she continued to ask pointless questions, I began to cry. "We can stop if you'd like." Alice said as soon as she saw me. "No I don't want to stop, I just want out of this hell hole, I get beaten with a paddle, threatened, and starved! Miss. Hannigan threatened us about speaking the truth to you, but I cannot bare to live in this inhuman place another day of my life." Before I could even continue complaining Alice grabbed my hand and told me to calm down and tell her everything. After explaining everything to her I was forced to stay in the office as Alice went up stairs. "Miss. Hannigan." I could here her say. "I was just informed about all of the awful things that go on in this orphanage." "What are you talking about, I do everything I can to give these girls everything!" "Oh really! Well I would like for you to follow me to the office please." As I glanced out the window I saw Miss. Hannigan and Alice come towards the door. Miss Hannigan sat in the chair next to me as Alice sat in Mss. Hannigan's normal seat. "Danielle." Alice said, "I would like for you to say exactly what you just said to me to Miss. Hannigan." While sitting there for three minutes while I sat there starring at my shoe laces Miss Hannigan spoke up. "I don't know what she told you but I can promise the only time I have ever been 'mean' to this child is only when she has been bad. Danielle why don't you go ahead and tell Alice about all of the times you've run away or about the times you've smarted off to me, or gave me mean looks. Did you forget to tell her those times?"

After Miss. Hannigan said that too me I began to cry. "Have you forgotten about the time I let you sleep in my office because you were so upset and could not get to bed, or the times I stayed up and read to you and the other orphans. After Miss. Hannigan said what she had to say I stood up and looked at Alice as I sniffled, "Yes I DID run away and yes I do talk back, but what kind of person wouldn't after you make us clean everyday for hours, or when you put us down. Miss. Hannigan do you remember the last time we celebrated a birthday or a holiday in the orphanage? Yeah, I know you can't that's because we never have. Miss. Hannigan you play mind games with us constantly I mean one second you pound the message of never tell a lie into our heads then the next second we HAVE to tell you we love you like we are some kind of chorus or something! I shouldn't be the one holding Molly at night telling her everything will be ok, that's your job, BUT you would never do that for any of us because you hate us! And you know what I HATE YOU TOO!" After I said all this Alice sat in her chair with confusion. Miss Hannigan looked at me and stood up, she grabbed my arm as she looked at Alice, "I am so very sorry, today we missed nap time, I think she is just very tired." Alice got up from her seat "no Miss. Hannigan. She's tired because she has been living with a bully like you for so long." Alice grabbed my arm while Miss Hannigan pulled the other arm. "No, I can promise you she's just talking." Miss. Hannigan said with a sweet voice. "Tell her Danielle." I looked up at Miss. Hannigan with fear in my eyes. "Ughh well ummm yes I guess I am tired." Alice released my arm, as Miss. Hannigan whipped me around into her arms. "See I told you, I apologize for all of this Alice." Alice looked at me and grabbed my hand and got on her knees. "Please honey just tell me the truth. Do you like it here or is what you said the truth or not?" I looked at Alice with tears in my eyes, "please." I whispered to her. Alice stood up, "that's it you either tell me the truth or I am leaving." I fell to the ground and began to ball, I was practically paralyzed on the ground as Miss. Hannigan grabbed me and tried to pull me up. Still I laid motionless as I cried all of my tears that I had built up since I got to the orphanage. By then Alice knew I was not lying. "Sweetie you can stop crying I promise you will be out of her by the next week." I sat up and looked at Miss. Hannigan, who was standing behind Alice. She was grinning.  
"Alice can I please leave by tonight, please? I promise I will be no trouble!" Alice looked at me with sad eyes. "Im really sorry sweetie but I will not be able to get you for a whole week. And unfortunately I have to leave right at this moment."

When Alice left the orphanage Miss. Hannigan looked at me and smiled. "I suggest you go upstairs right now Ill be up in 5 minutes." I looked at her and smiled, "ohh k." When I got upstairs Miss. Ernst was sitting on my cot while the other girls laid there asleep. "They already fell asleep?" She looked at me dumbfounded. "Yes its already 1 am." When Miss. Ernst got up from my cot I laid down, waiting for Miss. Hannigan to walk in and yank me from the cot. I woke up to Miss. Hannigan pulling me by the arm. She took me down stairs where she had me bend over and instead of a paddling I got five deadly slashes from an old belt. I went up stairs and cried the rest of the night.

The rest of the week went as usual, cleaned all day and got yelled at. The day finally came when Alice came and got all of us. After we left the orphanage we were all placed in loving foster homes, some even got adopted.

A lovely couple by the names of Shirley and Brad McCalister adopted Molly. Every week Molly and I meet up and play. I was one of the very lucky ones, to my surprise Alice adopted me. For my birthday she even got me a puppy, Im not sure what the breed is but I do know his fur is a lovely sandy color, so that's what his name is, Sandy! Miss. Hannigan was taken to court and was found guilty for everything we told the cops. She has been placed in jail for a year, which we are all very thankful for but yet very disappointed.

If you all enjoyed my story I would love to hear what you thought! Also if you have any ideas for another story I would be more than happy to hear them!


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